Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Week 24 of the JellyBean Progression

Week 24

Six month checkup today! Saw Dr. Mahoney since Dr. Owens is on vacation this week. Everything is great; although she did freak me out a little bit by telling me that starting this week, if the baby were to be born, she’d be viable. Whoa. So I am supposed to start paying extra attention to movement – I should be feeling more and more, so if I start feeling less, I’m supposed to call right away. Also am supposed to pay attention for signs of preterm labor and call if there’s anything weird.

Little Baby Josie Duggar was born at 25 weeks and has done okay so far - she celebrated her 1st birthday in December 2010. Of course, her mom was 40+ years old and had previously delivered 18 other children and had to deliver so early due to severe preeclampsia that was endangering the health of both mom and baby. Though our circumstances are different, I am still crossing all my fingers, hoping that everything continues to go smoothly and that JellyBean goes all the way to 40 weeks. And not 41 like her brother.

I have been worried about my weight gain the last two months because it seems like I’ve gotten really huge really quick. I’m not seeing changes anywhere but my belly, so it’s not that I think I’m in general just eating too much or anything, but have a little concern that the baby is getting too big too fast or ahead of schedule or whatever. Dr. M said although I am measuring a little bit big, my weight gain is fine and that at this point with Fletch I weighed 172 - ten pounds more than I do now. She told me not to worry about it at all and that right about now what she calls “mushrooming” happens – that basically you really start popping out. Looking back, by week 25 with Fletch, I was measuring 3 cm big and felt the same way – all belly. So probably just me worrying about nothing, especially since Fletch ended up weighing less than 8 lbs at birth.

Next month I’ll see Dr. O again and am supposed to have my glucose test to check for gestational diabetes. I have a call in to my bariatric doctor to see what the alternatives to the normal glucose test are because there is no way in heck I am doing that again after the disaster it was last time.

Last week JellyBean’s hearing started to get better, so now she can hear sounds from outside. Guess we need to start singing! This week she should be just over a pound and just about a foot long. We are supposed to picture her as an ear of corn. (Apparently, long and skinny?) She is growing more brain and developing taste buds and lungs this week as well.

I can’t believe we are over halfway now! It’s gone by so fast. It’s been relatively easy too – maybe that’s because it’s the second time and I know more. (Like that Fiber is Your Friend and Breathe Right Strips are Awesome.) Really the only lasting complaint I’ve had is the Rhinitis of Pregnancy (aka, Stuffy Nose) that you get when you’re pregnant due to all your mucous membranes swelling up. And while I learned last time that Breathe Right Strips are AWESOME, I have learned this time that supermarket brand nose strips SUCK and give you pimples across the bridge of your nose as well as a red stripe that won’t go away. (Note to self: Shell out the extra clams for name brand next time!)